The invention relates to an elevated deck, and a method and apparatus for building a deck, particularly a concrete deck. The decking system of the present invention provides an efficient means for constructing a deck that requires minimal upkeep and maintenance. The decking system is particularly suited for residential applications, however, it can also be used in other environments such as commercial settings.
Most decks in residential settings are made of wood, which typically require regular maintenance as they are subject to decay and termite damage. Ultimately, a wooden deck must be totally replaced, requiring substantial labor to remove and discard the old structure and replace it with a new one.
In conventional deck construction, a recreational wooden deck is attached to the side of a house and typically involves a deck ledger being fastened to wall sheathing and flashed before finish siding is attached to the adjacent wall. A frame is then constructed out from the wall and supported by posts. Deck joists are connected to the deck ledger and the frame to underlay and support deck planking. In addition, existing raised decking systems require masonry support systems around the outer edges with a masonry “row lock” on the top of the supporting walls to retain a hardenable building fill material, which is typically concrete in such construction. A compacted fill is used to fill the void under the concrete or a metal pan system is used supported by and terminating at the masonry wall and “row lock” accordingly.
The present invention replaces the wooden deck system typically used in residential settings with a concrete deck. The present invention replaces the deck joists with metal pans which span from the house to a support beam, and provides a usable outdoor living area above while maintaining a relatively dry area below.